Who Would Have Thought?
by tojo1973
Summary: Elizabeth finds out that AJ and Carly are really together. Sonny comes across her one night and the two renew a friendship long thought dead. They soon start to realize their feelings for each other have grown into more. Can it work?
1. Prologue

Elizabeth stood at the edge of the docks, her eyes clouded over with tears as she stares out into the dark water. Her arms were wrapped around her middle tightly, as if to ward herself off from the cold, even though it was well into the 80s that evening.

She'd been duped again. She allowed herself to open her heart to someone again, only to have him stomp on it. AJ played her, said and did all the right things. He worked on her sympathy, on her grief, and used it to get close. He played on her feelings for Jason, and then pulled the rug out from under her.

She shook her head, laughing humorlessly, "So stupid," she berated herself.

She should have known he was too good to be true. She should have realized when she saw him kissing Carly that there was something there. He swore to her that it was all a con and she bought it.

Until earlier, when she walked into Kelly's to grab a quick cup of coffee when she saw them together, at a table holding hands, leaning in close to each other. She tried to slip back out without them seeing, but Carly saw her. She walked over to the table, her hands wringing in front of her, and confronted the pair. AJ, looking guilty and remorseful, explained that both he and Carly had been denying the attraction for years, and they finally wanted a chance to be together.

She just nodded, not saying a word, and walked out of the diner. She really didn't know where her feet were taking her until she reached the docks and looked out at the water. That was when she finally let herself cry.

It was fitting, in a way. This was where the man she had been in love with for most of her adulthood died. Though they never really got their shot, she never really got over him. She tried, over and over, but in the end, it always came back to him.

Jason told her they could never be together because his life was too dangerous for her and her boys. It was always that way. He always tried to shield her from the violence his "business." It was why he stayed away from Jake. Ironically, it wasn't his life at all that killed his son.

Maybe that was why she was so ready to try to build something with AJ. He was Jason's brother. While they never had the brotherly relationship since the accident that changed Jason's life, they were still brothers.

In a weird way, they were a lot alike. The resemblance was just the start. AJ had that same ability to sit and listen as she talked, and never judged. As she thought about it, wasn't she just using AJ as a substitute for the man she had loved?

So lost in her thoughts, she didn't hear the footsteps behind her. Sonny was walking along the docks, taking in the summer air when he saw her. She looked deep in thought, obviously with something troubling. He had a feeling he knew what was on her mind.

Carly had come to him that morning, thinking she could ease the shock by telling him she was with AJ, and they were in love. After everything that happened, everything AJ did to her, to Michael, to Kristina, she was actually going to be with him.

While Sonny wasn't in love with Carly, he was still hurt by it. The history alone should have stopped her, but it was more than that. He had heard about AJ and Elizabeth becoming close. Carly yet again disregarded her feelings, and took what she wanted anyway, not really taking Elizabeth into account at all.

While he was concerned for Elizabeth, he never said anything, mainly because he knew he ruined any friendship the two had years ago, and he had no right to interfere in her life. He did know how much she meant to Jason, though. He knew that the life he brought Jason into was part of the reason the two could never get it right. So he said nothing to her, letting her live her life the way she wanted. If anything, he had hoped that her influence could be good for AJ, especially since Michael was working with him at ELQ, and knowing Elizabeth was around made Sonny feel better about the situation. She was a natural mother, and had a caring heart.

Even though their friendship was all but gone, he was upset about how the AJ/Carly situation was affecting her. One of his first thoughts was how she was taking it. He even called Carly out on it. She shrugged her shoulders in her typical way, saying it couldn't be helped. He just shook his head at her and reminded her that this was the woman who gave Jocelyn her son's kidney. Carly actually had the decency to look guilty.

He was so lost in his own thoughts, he forgot he was standing there, staring at the young woman until she called out his name.

"Sonny? Are you okay?"

He came out of his musings and immediately smiled, his dimples deep, his cheeks slightly red from being caught. He stuck his hands in his pockets and looked down, almost shy-like. If it were anything else, she would have bought it, but this was Sonny Corinthos, he didn't do shy.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I'm fine, really. How are you Elizabeth?"

She smiled at him, one of those smiles he recognized from her. Jason had told her that Elizabeth had two different smiles, and if you paid attention enough, you can tell which one was real and which was fake, you just had to look into her eyes. This was definitely a fake smile.

"I'm doing good, thanks. Are you sure you are okay?"

Sonny shrugged, his hands still in his pockets, and nodded, "Yeah, yeah, I'm good. Just got lost in thought." He looked up at her and watched as she nodded uncomfortably, her fingers pulling an unruly piece of hair behind her right ear. "So how are you?" He asked, his voice sincere.

She looked up at him, a bit surprised at his worried tone, "You want to know how I'm doing after finding out about AJ and Carly, right?"

He nodded, "I know you were getting close with him. It can't be easy, especially since this is Carly we're talking about."

Elizabeth chuckled and shook her head, "Yeah, well I should have seen it coming."

Sonny wasn't sure what she meant by that, but he decided to let it go.

"Well, all I can say is, you were too good for him anyway."

He saw Elizabeth smile, and noticed that her eyes were gradually changing, revealing that it was sincere, "Thank you, Sonny. I think I'm just unlucky, excuse the pun, in the love department."

"Well then, we should join a club," Sonny said, trying to lighten the mood, but the words held a seriousness to them.

Elizabeth saw the pain in the man's eyes, and despite all the ugliness between the two, her heart went out to him. She reached out with her right hand and pulled his left out of his pocket, squeezing softly.

"I heard about Kate, or Connie as she is calling herself. I know you stood by her. I'm so sorry, Sonny."

He smiled at her softly, taking his other hand out of his pocket and placing it over hers. "Thank you, Elizabeth. It's been a few months, but I thought we'd have a lifetime together."

Elizabeth's hand felt warm and inviting between his two larger ones. Her eyes moved from their hands up to his face, and found his brown orbs.

"I know that we've had our differences in the past. I made a lot of mistakes-"

"As did I," he interjected, looking back into her eyes.

She smiled at his admission, "Just so you know, if you ever really need to talk, I've been told I'm a good listener."

His dimples came out to play then, his smile genuine, "That goes the same for me. I'm not as good as Jason was-"

The name lingered in the air a moment, both parties' smiles suddenly disappearing from their faces.

"I miss him so much Sonny, " she whispered, her voice laced with sadness.

He nodded solemnly, "I do too."

He pulled softly on her hand, bringing her to him and enveloped her in his arms. Her head rested against his hard chest, and her eyes closed. Her arms slipped around his waist, her hands clasped behind him. They stood that way for a few moments, giving in to a grief they thought they had overcome.

Realizing where she was and what she was doing, Elizabeth stepped back, reluctantly. While she was enjoying the contact, she knew it had to end eventually. They weren't even friends anymore.

"I, uh, I should get going," she said, hoping she wasn't revealing her nervousness at their interaction. "The boys are with my Gram for a few hours, and I promised I would bring pizza over."

He reluctantly let her go, suddenly feeling cold even with the warm temperature and nodded, "Yeah, me too. Morgan is coming home and staying with me. Gotta get home and make sure his room is ready and everything."

She smiled and nodded, pausing for a moment before saying, "Thank you, Sonny. I know we aren't close anymore-"

"Anytime, Elizabeth. I meant what I said, if you ever just need an ear, I want to be there," he responded. "I would like our friendship back. I think Jason would like that."

Elizabeth's eyes filled up with unshed tears and she nodded, "I know he would be comforted to know that the people he cared about were there for each other. And I would like our friendship back too. I'll tell you a little secret, "she leaned in, wiping her cheek softly, with a small smile on her face, "I kinda missed you."

He laughed softly, "Yeah? Me too."

She laughed with him, taking his hand and squeezing, enjoying the feeling of his warm skin.

"Have a good night, Sonny."

His fingers tingled where her hand held his, and he was enjoying the contact.

"You too."

She let go and walked up the steps, a smile still on her face. While she was still upset about current events, a part of her felt better because she was repairing a long-thought forgotten relationship. The thought brought a thrill in her she never thought would be there.

Sonny watched as she walked up the steps. His eyes could not move from the woman until she was finally out of site. Once gone, his gaze moved toward the water. He took in a deep breath, and smiled to himself.

His life was always so chaotic and if he was honest, a mess. So why, after that interaction with a woman he had barely said two words to in the past few years, did he feel that things were looking up?


	2. Chapter 1

_Thank you for the reviews. This just popped into my brain. While I am not totally opposed to AJ and Elizabeth, something was telling me to tell this story too._

_For those who say that Sonny is too old, what about the danger that Elizabeth talked about with Jason? Well, Jason was the one who kept bringing up the danger. And Elizabeth was the one who went to Jason and said they should try anyway, more than once._

_As for the age thing, well Sonny was with Emily too (which I didn't mind). Bottom line, some people are not going to like this pairing and if that is the case, well then this story just isn't for you._

_Sonny, for me, is hard to write true to character, mainly because he's unpredictable in how he reacts sometimes, but I am doing my best. It's going to be a slow moving story because I really want to build the friendship. That might change though and I might just have them jump. LOL_

_Enjoy._

_I do not own anything, I just borrow. _

Sonny sat at his desk in his office, going over some paperwork Max had brought over from the warehouse. Business had been quiet lately, something that he was grateful for. The downside of that, however, was that he had no excuse not to tend to some of the legitimate paperwork that he normally wouldn't have time for.

Sitting back in his chair and throwing the pen on the desk, he laid his head back and closed his eyes. He had been working for a few hours and his eyes were starting to cross.

He opened his eyes and looked up, thinking about just calling it a day and going home. It seemed like a great idea, until he remembered, there wouldn't be anyone there. He was alone, again.

Morgan was supposed to come back from school for the summer and stay with him, but he decided to stay at school and take some summer classes. Of course, he knew it was an excuse. Morgan couldn't come over Christmas break, because he was spending it skiing with friends. He didn't make it for Spring Break either because he had a project due and wanted to use the quiet to really focus.

Sonny blamed himself for his son not wanting to be around. Morgan always felt like he was an afterthought. With all the drama with Michael and Kristina, he was always the one that took a back seat. Yet another thing Sonny regretted. He loved Morgan just as much as his other children, and yet he never took the time to be with his son, to really get to know him. He made an effort to get to know Dante, yet the son who was there, was still in need of a father, he didn't have time for. That was the part that stung, knowing that he did that to his son.

The house was just too big for just him. Now that Connie was not in the picture, there was no one else. It was just him in the house. It felt cold and empty. He didn't even have Jason to come by. They'd mostly talk about business, but there were those moments where Jason would ask for his advice on things, and he would talk about his life, about Sam, and, although not often, Elizabeth.

Sonny thought he might have been the only person who really knew how Jason truly felt about Elizabeth. She was his safe place. She was the one person he could go to and just be, without any expectations, and never really asked for anything in return. The love Jason felt for her went beyond what anyone could imagine. Jason didn't have to even say the words for Sonny to know what she was to him.

Jason loved Sam, of course. She understood his life, and was ready to jump in the line of fire if need be. Jason thought that's what he needed in his life. Elizabeth was a mother, a nurse, and she always thought of others before herself. Jason never wanted her life tainted by the choices he made. But if he ever saw a way to get out and be with her, Sonny knew without a shadow of a doubt he would have taken it, even if he knew that Danny was really his son.

The loss of Jake took its toll on both of them. Jason never really got to be a father to him, but the loss was so palpable, so raw, Sonny's heart broke for his best friend. He had heard through others the spiral Elizabeth went through, both before and after Jake's accident. He didn't pay it much mind, since they weren't close anymore. As he sat and thought about it, guilt for not at least asking about her starting eating at him.

When he bumped into her the night before, it was purely by accident, but it turned out to be something good. He had a lot of guilt he carried around for his part in all the hurt he had caused Elizabeth, and he didn't even realize it until they talked.

He was glad that, while she was hurting, The AJ and Carly situation didn't break her spirit. The woman had been through so much already in her life, and it was the last thing she needed.

He was glad that he was there for her, as she was for him. She was still the same loving, kind person she always was. Why had he tossed that aside?

Well, he thought to himself, not anymore.

A knock on the door brought him out of his musings.

"Come in," he yelled.

The door opened, Max's head peeking through, "Boss, it's 3 o'clock. You told me to let you know."

Sonny nodded, "Yeah, I did. We got that shipment coming in, and I wanna be there. Thanks Max."

"Sure thing, Mr. C," he said as he went to close the door.

Standing up, he took his suit jacket off his chair and pulled it on as he walked out the door

As he closed his office door behind him, he turned, only to be greeted with Elizabeth at the counter, ordering. He smiled at her as she ordered.

"Can I have a large mocha latte, with extra sprinkles, please?" She asked, smiling.

"That is on the house," Sonny told the barista behind the counter.

Elizabeth turned her head and glared at him, yet with a smile on her face "Now Sonny that is totally not necessary. "

His dimples came out to play as he walked over to her, "It's my establishment, and in my establishment, I take care of my friends."

She leaned her hip against the counter and faced him, smiling, "Well then, thank you."

"Anytime. It's a standing order. Coffee for you is on the house," he walked closer. "Not that I'm complaining, but you normally frequent Kelly's. "

Elizabeth shrugged, thanking the girl as she handed the cup to her. Her eyes clouded a bit as she studied her travel cup.

"I didn't need another run-in with the happy couple."

Sonny nodded, "Yeah, I don't blame you. "

"It's not like I was in love with him, it was way too soon for that. Just tired of always being the one that loses," she said.

He saw the hurt in her eyes, and silently cursed both Carly and AJ. Yet again, both of them went off and did something, totally not thinking of anyone else but themselves.

He reached out and grabbed her shoulders, causing her to look up at him. His brown eyes met her azure ones, his voice low and soothing.

"He was not worthy of you anyway. Believe me, you deserve much better than AJ Quartermaine. "

She grinned, reaching up and grabbing one of his hands that were resting on her shoulder, squeezing.

"Yeah, well I think this is the universe's way of telling me I'm doomed to be alone."

"Nah, I don't believe that. There is someone for you. You are too good a woman."

Her grin turned down, "That's very sweet of you to say, but I'm not all that good. I've made so many mistakes-"

"So who's perfect? Carly has gotten away with so many crappy things, and she gets to be happy. The mistakes you made are in the past right?" She nodded. "All we can do is try to be better than we were."

She smiled up at him, bringing his hand down from her shoulder and squeezing softly.

"You know, I think this whole friend thing just might work out after all," she said, her voicing sounding lighter.

He laughed softly and nodded, "Absolutely."

"Thank you. Now, I'm going to take my yummy free drink and get to work before Epiphany sicks the hounds on me."

"That woman scares me. And I've dealt with a lot of dangerous people."

She laughed, "Yeah she can be intimidating when she wants."

"I am on my way out, too. Do you need a ride."

She shook her head, "No I have my car. But thanks."

He nodded, "Let me walk you out." He led her to the door, opening it for her .

They walked in comfortable silence until they got to the driver's door of her car. She turned toward him and smiled.

"Thank you for the coffee, and the conversation." She smiled up at him, and his heart warmed.

"You're welcome, for both," he said, showing those dimples.

She placed her hand on his chest and leaned up, kissing his cheek softly, then moved back to look up at him, her hand remaining.

"Please be careful," she whispered, as if she suddenly remembered what he did.

He reached up and squeezed her hand softly, and nodded.

"I will," he whispered, his cheek tingling from the soft kiss.

She stood there for a moment longer, as though she didn't want to leave, then pulled away and opened the car door. He stepped away and slid his hands into the pockets of his slacks, watching as she pulled away.

Yet again, she really didn't do much but be her, and he felt lighter. His thoughts earlier were filled with guilt and hurt, and she came along, and made him feel good again.

It was then he determined that he wanted to make sure that his friendship with this special woman would be solid, and would never falter again. Jason was right when he told him once that his world was better when Elizabeth was a part of it.

He would protect her, of course. Being his friend came with danger. He would make sure her and her boys were safe.

Smiling, he buttoned his suit jacket up and walked toward his car, sliding into the back as Max held the door open for him.


	3. Chapter 2

_First off, thank you all for your encouraging reviews. I appreciate it very much._

_As you can probably guess, I am a huge Liason fan. This is really the first time I've tried to pair Elizabeth with anyone else. I knew though, to make it believable, I had to incorporate the history of both Elizabeth and Sonny where Jason was involved. They are in a sense bonded because of him._

_I also wanted Elizabeth and Michael to interact. They too had a bond a long time ago. _

_Enjoy_

Elizabeth walked into the hub, her eyes showing her fatigue from the long shift. She had scrubbed in on two surgeries, had two of her patient's code, and had one of her patients try to grope her. She slipped some charts into place and turned toward the computer to start inputting when she saw Michael coming up to the desk.

"Hi, Michael. How are you?" She always had a smile for the young man. Despite everything he had gone through in his young life, he was a good person, through and through. She knew he got that from his uncle.

He leaned against the counter, sliding his hands in his jeans, looking worried.

"Elizabeth, hi. I just wanted to apologize for my mother and AJ. I know that you guys were getting close and-"

"Michael Corinthos III, you do not have anything to be sorry for. You are not responsible for your parents."

"I know that, but I also know that they both are very self-absorbed people, and I wanted to make sure you knew that I am not speaking to either of them right now. I don't like how they did this, and I especially don't like how you got hurt because of their selfishness."

She looked up at him and smiled, "You know, I appreciate that. You don't know what it means to me that you would take up for me that way. But I don't want you to put distance between you and your parents. They love you."

Michael nodded, "I know, but they can't keep doing this. In a lot of ways, I think I should have seen this coming. They are both so much alike. They both just jump into things, and really don't think of the consequences and how it will affect others. I mean, you were so selfless with helping Jocelyn. How can my mom forget that?"

"Michael, I don't think Carly forgot at all. I think they realized that what they felt for each other wasn't the contempt they thought. When you think about it, they've always been passionate about each other. Maybe what they thought was hatred, was love."

Michael shook his head and smiled at her, "How do you do that? They hurt you, yet here you are defending them."

"Believe me, I'm not saying what happened and how it happened didn't hurt. I thought what AJ and I had was good, and that it could grow into something more. But, I've learned the hard way that you can't help who you fall in love with, or the timing. "

"I know. I think I'm just weirded out by it. I mean, come on. This is AJ and Carly. They've been at each other's throats since before I remember. Now, to have them together. Kind of freaks me out."

She laughed softly, "Yeah it is kind of weird. How is Sonny dealing?" She knew he said he was fine about it, but she also knew that Sonny and Carly had history and AJ and he were far from friends.

Michael shrugged, "Dad says he's fine. Says that he's disappointed that Mom could forget about everything AJ has done. I know that he's not in love with my mom anymore, but I think it stings."

She leaned over and placed her hand over his on the counter, "He's not still worried about losing you to AJ, is he?"

Michael shook his head, "I don't know. I think he felt secure that I wasn't going anywhere, but now, with this, his doubts might be creeping up again."

"Well, just be there for him. He needs his kids."

Michael smiled, "I didn't think you liked my dad at all."

She shook her head, "Your dad and I have had our problems, but a long time ago we were friends. And we both decided that we would like that again."

He smiled at her, "Well that's great. I know a lot of people don't think all that highly of him because of what he does."

"Michael, we both did and said things to each other that were ugly. But the bottom line is that Sonny was there for me and helped me through a lot of tough times. I forgot that for a while. He recently reminded me of that."

"Well, I want to thank you, for being so understanding about everything. I gotta get to the office. I'll talk to you soon." He smiled at her, squeezing her hand softly and turning toward the elevator.

She watched him get on the elevator and leaned on the counter. She could not believe he would take the time out of his day just to apologize for his parents. Like it was his fault they were screwed up. She thanked heaven that that boy had Jason in his life, as well as Sonny. The man was dangerous and had a lot of issues, but he was a good father.

Thinking about how Sonny was, and knowing he was alone, she picked up her phone. She nibbled on her bottom lip for a moment, wondering if she was overstepping the whole "friends again" thing.

Deciding to go for it, she dialed the number, tapping her nails against the counter while hearing it ring. She stood up straight when she heard the other side pick up.

"_Hello."_

"Sonny, hi. It's Elizabeth. Is this a bad time?"

"_Hey, no no, not at all. I just got out of a meeting. What's on your mind?"_

"Well I was wondering…you see Laura has the boys tonight and well…are you free for dinner?"

There was a pause, and she closed her eyes, thinking he would come up with an excuse to get out of it.

"_That sounds nice. How about you meet me at the MetroCourt?"_

She smiled and nodded, "Sounds good. I get off in an hour. Say 7:30?"

"_Perfect. I'll see you then."_

"Bye."

She placed her phone down and smiled, looking forward to her evening. She knew he would try to brush off what he was feeling, but she was determined to be a real friend to him. She wanted him to feel like he can trust her again.

That determined, she went back to her computer screen.


	4. Chapter 3

Running toward the door as she fixes the back of the earring, Elizabeth's eyes furrowed, wondering who could be ringing her doorbell. The boys were at Laura's tonight. Patrick was busy juggling between two women, and Nikolas was out of the country.

She opened the door to find Milo standing there, hands folded in front of him, a goofy smile on his face.

"Hi, Milo. What are you doing here?"

"Boss didn't want you to have to drive so he had me come pick you up."

Elizabeth smiled and shook her head, "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

She left the door open and walked toward the couch, picking up her shawl for in case it got chilly later. She threw it over her arm and picked up her purse and keys from the side table and ran back up the step where Milo was standing, waiting silently, watching.

"Ok, I'm ready."

"Cool," said Milo, stepping aside and gesturing for her to go first.

They walked toward the large black SUV quietly, Milo opening the back door for Elizabeth to slide in. He then closed the door and slipped into the driver's seat.

"Don't worry Ms. Webber. I'll get you there safe and sound," he said smiling, looking at her through the rear view mirror.

Elizabeth smiled back at him, "I have no doubt, Milo. And please, it's Elizabeth."

Milo smiled again and nodded, starting up the truck and pulling out of the driveway onto the road.

"So why did Sonny think I needed a ride this evening?"

He shrugged, "Not sure M- Elizabeth. He just told me to come get you."

Elizabeth sat back against the soft beige leather of the truck and sighed. She could have driven herself. There was no reason to inconvenience Milo just to pick her up.

The ride didn't take long at all, and soon she was in the elevator at the MetroCourt. The doors opened to reveal Sonny waiting right outside, his dimples sliding into place as he came into view.

She walked over to him and smiled, "You didn't have to send a car for me."

He shrugged, "You have been working all day. Thought it would be nice for you to sit back and relax."

"That is very sweet but I can take care of myself."

"Oh, believe me I know you can take care of yourself. It was a friendly gesture, Elizabeth."

She eyed him carefully. She was never comfortable with being pampered. But he looked genuine. A small smile played on her lips before she spoke.

"Well, then thank you."

Sonny smiled again, thinking he barely won that argument, and placed his one hand on the small of her back, the other gesturing to the table in the corner. She let him guide her toward the table, sliding the chair out for her to sit. He walked around the table and sat across from her.

"So, I have to ask. Why did you ask me to dinner?" He asked, crossing his hands in front of him.

Elizabeth shrugged, her cheeks tinged with pink as she pulls back a piece of hair.

"I know you say you are okay about Carly and AJ, but I also know what you all have been through together. It can't be easy."

He sat back in his chair and looked at her, silently shocked that she would take the time to worry about him. Yes, they were working on their friendship again, but he assumed it would be chance meetings. He never thought she would initiate going somewhere in public with him. Then again, he should have remembered that she never cared what others thought about what Jason did, she was there for him anyway.

"It's surprising, I'll say that. Look at everything Carly did, what I did, to keep Michael away from AJ. The man kidnapped my children!"

She reached over and grabbed one of his hands, squeezing softly.

"Sonny, I know your history with AJ. I know it can't be easy to see them together."

He shrugged, "I learned a long time ago that Carly will do what she wants to do, and doesn't think about anyone else involved. "

"Michael came to see me today. He wanted to apologize to me for Carly and AJ. I told him that while I appreciated his concern for me, he in no way is responsible for their actions."

Sonny laughed, "Sounds like Michael. Always trying to make things right."

Elizabeth laughed and nodded, "He has been through so much in his life. Yet, he goes out of his way for the people he cares about. "

"Well, that has a lot to do with Jason. He was there for him when Carly or I weren't able to."

She nodded, "Jason had a lot to do with it. But Sonny, you are too. I know you had your own demons, but you are a good father."

"Tell that to Morgan," he mumbled, almost too low to hear, but it didn't go unheard from Elizabeth.

"I thought Morgan was coming home," she said.

"He had something better to do. Seems that being on his own so long, he doesn't really see himself needing his old man anymore."

She squeezed his hand softly, "Sonny, I'm so sorry."

Before he could respond, Carly came up to the table, confusion in her eyes.

"Sonny, I didn't know you were going to be here," she said, then moved her eyes from him to Elizabeth, raising a brow, "or that you would have a guest." She cleared her throat, looked down at her hands and mumbled, "Hello, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth smiled awkwardly, "Hello, Carly."

"What do you need, Carly?" Sonny asked, his jaw tense, his eyes slowly looking up at her.

Carly cleared her throat, "If you told me you were going to be here, I would've gotten you a better table."

"This is fine," he said, his voice short. Elizabeth noticed him squeezing her hand a bit tighter.

Carly gave a short nod, obviously not happy about the way her ex was treating her, and turned toward Elizabeth, "Well, enjoy your dinner." She smiled tightly, and turned, walking away with a defeated air.

Elizabeth moved her eyes from Carly back to Sonny, "Do you want to leave?"

Sonny looked up from where he was staring at his glass. Anything to not look at his ex-wife.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking when I suggested this place-"

"Sonny, it's fine. Do you want to go somewhere else? I just think the evening will get more and more tense if we stay here."

Sonny nodded slowly and stood up, moving around to pull her chair out for her. They made their way to the elevator, only to run into AJ as he was coming out. He looked over at her with a wounded look, then his eyes caught her companion and his eyes changed from guilt to anger.

"Elizabeth, what-"

She held up her hand to shut him up, "Funny thing, AJ. Once you dump me to run to Carly, your opinion doesn't count."

AJ looked down embarrassed and shoved his hands in his pockets, "I still care about you and I don't want to see you hurt."

"One thing I know, Sonny would never hurt me. Funny, you know, I spent so much time running from what and, more importantly who I wanted because of this twisted notion that it would be safer. I realized that I got it all wrong. The people I thought were safe, where the ones that hurt me more than anyone else."

Sonny stood quietly, his hand resting on the small of her back, a smile forming on his lips as she spoke to the other man. He was always impressed at her strength.

"Enjoy your evening, AJ. Carly is at the bar."

She reached behind her back and grabbed Sonny's hand, squeezing. She then walked toward the elevators, him following closely behind. As the doors closed, her eyes stayed straight forward, her head held high. Sonny just glanced at AJ, a smile wide on his face as he disappeared from AJ's view.

Elizabeth looked up and noticed the smile on his face, "What?"

Sonny shrugged, "That was impressive."

Elizabeth laughed and rolled her eyes, "Please, I just told him the truth. He has no reason to tell me who I can spend my time with. Not anymore. And, quite frankly, if I hear anyone even whisper the word 'dangerous' to me, I might commit a felony myself."

He chuckled and nodded, "Well, it's not like it isn't true. It is a factor-"

She turned toward him, eyes defiant, "Don't even think of saying it, Corinthos. You are my friend. If I want to have dinner with my friend, I will. I am sick and tired of not doing what I want to do because other people find it inappropriate, or feel it isn't safe. I have learned the hard way, nothing and no one is really safe. And I will be damned if I let fear win out again. Got it?"

He put up his hands in surrender, his dimples coming out as he smiled, "Got it. I would never want to tell you what to do. Now, what do you want to do for dinner since our original plans were marred by The Odd Couple in there?"

She smiled, glad he wasn't going to argue her point, "How about grabbing something at Kelly's?"

He nodded, "Sounds good, but one of these days, you have to let me cook for you."

"You know, I've heard about your amazing cooking. I think it's about time I tried it for myself."

He grinned down at her, "Yeah, I think it is."


End file.
